More particularly the present invention relates to an assembly for controlling or regulating the flow of gaseous fuel to a gas burner, as well as to particular elements of that assembly. For example, the invention also relates to the gas cock of the gas control assembly.

The present invention has particular application for use in providing a new and improved manifold or rail assembly for a gas fuelled barbecue, stove, cooker or cook-top and the invention is herein described in this context. It should be appreciated, however, that the invention is not limited to these particular uses but may be used for controlling gas flow to burners in various types of apparatus.

In gas fuelled barbeques, stoves, cook-tops and the like, the gas flow control assembly typically includes a tubular manifold or rail through which the gas fuel is supplied to the apparatus and at least one control valve, i. e. gas cock, connected to or mounted on the manifold for regulating the supply of gas to particular burners. Generally, a separate gas cock is provided for each individual burner.

Each gas cock typically includes a body portion having a cap member covering an end thereof with the cap member secured to the body portion by fastening elements such as screws extending through the top of the cap member and screwing into the body portion. This fastening arrangement generally requires the body portion to be formed with either (i) a substantial thickness to accommodate laterally positioned screws, or (ii) an outwardly extending flange into which the fastening elements can be screwed.

In the present case it has been found to be advantageous to fabricate the bodies of the gas cocks by machining aluminium bar stock. The known arrangement described above for securing the gas cock cap member to the body portion requires either an excessively large body for the gas cock or time consuming machine operations and wasted material to form the outwardly extending flange.

Accordingly, disadvantages of this gas cock configuration reside in the excessive material requirements and fabrication times.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a control valve, such as a gas cock, including a body portion having an inlet for fluid communication with a tubular manifold and an outlet for directing a regulated flow of gas from the manifold to a burner, and a cap member adapted to cover an end of the body portion. The cap member is configured to hold a rotatable control key in operative association with a rotatable flow-regu (ating member located inside the body portion. The gas cock further includes means for securing the cap member to the body portion without fastening elements that extend in a direction substantially parallel to the control key. Furthermore, the securing means desirably enables the cap member to be releasably secured to the body portion of the gas cock.

In one form of the invention the securing means includes a clip device which desirably includes a pair of opposed jaw members which may be resiliently biased towards one another. One of the jaw members is adapted to engage the body portion of the gas cock and the other jaw member is adapted to extend over a top surface of the cap member such that the resilient bias between the two jaw members firmly holds the cap member over the end of the body portion.

Preferably, the pair of jaw members are interconnected and the clip device may be formed as an integral or unitary construction. In a particularly preferred form each of the jaw members includes a pair of prong elements.

In an alternative form of the invention the securing means includes at least one fastening element which extends through the cap member and into the body portion of the gas cock in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the control key. Preferably more than one fastening element is provided in this transverse direction. For example a pair of such elements may be provided on opposite sides of the gas cock. Desirably, the fastening elements are screws.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an assembly for controlling supply of gaseous fuel to at least one gas burner. The assembly includes a manifold of tubular construction defining a passage for supply of gas therethrough and at least one gas cock according to the invention as described above for regulating or controlling the volume rate of gas flow to a burner.

In one form of the invention the tubular manifold has a square or rectangular cross-section and includes an aperture, for example a round hole, formed through a side wall thereof. The body portion of the gas cock in the vicinity of the inlet preferably has a flat surface for seating against the side wall of the manifold such that the inlet is in alignment with the side wall aperture thereby providing fluid communication between the inside of the manifold tube and the body portion of the gas cock.

In one form of the invention the gas cock inlet opening is formed in a side of the body portion and the outlet is formed in an end of the body portion opposite the end covered by the cap member.

In an alternative form of the invention the gas cock inlet opening is formed in the end of the body portion opposite the cap member and the outlet is formed through a side of the body portion. Sealing means may be provided around the manifold aperture and the gas cock inlet where the flat of the body portion sits against the side wall of the manifold tube. The sealing means is preferably in the form of an 0-ring which may be partially received in a recess around the gas cock inlet opening.

In one form of the invention each gas cock is releasably mounted on the manifold tube by clamp means adapted to engage the body portion of the gas cock and to draw and hold the body portion into substantially rigid and sealing engagement with the side wall of the manifold tube. This substantially rigid connection between the gas cock and the manifold maintains the gas cock body in fluid

communication with the inside of the manifold tube when the gas cock inlet is aligned with the aperture in the side wall of the manifold. Preferably the assembly of the present invention includes a plurality of gas cock control valves mounted spaced apart along a length of manifold tube and each gas cock is desirably mounted on the tube by separate clamp means.

In a preferred form of the invention each clamp means includes a bracket member adapted to engage with the body portion of the gas cock and to extend around the manifold tube. The clamp means further includes an actuating element which cooperates with the bracket member to force the gas cock and manifold tube into clamped engagement. The bracket member is desirably formed from relatively rigid strip material and the body portion of the gas cock preferably includes a groove for receiving an edge of the bracket member strip to effect the engagement between the bracket member and the body portion.

Furthermore, the bracket member preferably includes a slot or recess in order to substantially receive and/or surround the body portion when the bracket member engages said groove.

For assistance in arriving at an understanding of the present invention various examples of gas control assemblies and gas cocks according to the present invention are illustrated in the attached drawings. The preceding description of the gas cock and assembly may be read with reference to those drawings.

However, as the drawings illustrate examples only, their particularity is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description.

In the Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a gas control assembly according to the presentin invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the gas control assembly shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the assembly shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a gas control assembly according to another form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the assembly shown in Fig 4.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the assembly shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a gas control assembly according to a further form of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the assembly shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a gas control assembly according to yet another invention.

Fig. 10 is a side view of the assembly shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a more detailed section side view of the gas cock shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a section side view of the assembly shown in Fig. 10.

Referring to Figs. 1,2 and 3 of the drawings, the present invention provides an assembly 1 for controlling supply of gas fuel to at least one burner in a stove or cook-top. The assembly includes a manifold 2 which is of tubular construction and has a rectangular cross-section. The manifold defines a passage for the supply of gas therethrough. The assembly also includes a gas cock 3 which is mounted on the manifold tube 2 to regulate or control the volume rate of gas flow to a burner. The gas cock 3 includes a substantially cylindrically shaped body portion 4 having an inlet opening 5 at an end thereof for fluid communication with the manifold 2 and an outlet 6 for directing a regulated gas flow to the burner.

The gas cock 3 further includes a cap member 7 which covers an end of the body portion 4 opposite the inlet 5. The cap member 7 holds an elongate rotatable control key 8 in operative association with a rotatable flow-regulating plug member 9 which is located inside the body portion 4. Depression of the control key 8 against the bias of a spring 10 causes the control key to engage the plug member via a slot in a top portion thereof such that rotation of the control key rotates the plug member to vary the volume rate of gas flow through the gas cock to a nozzle 11 connected at the outlet 6. This operation of the gas cock will be understood by persons skilled in the art and, as such, will not be further described here. It is to be noted, however, that which the gas cock body portion 4 is typically machined from aluminium, the plug member 9 and nozzle 11 are typically machined from brass.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, to 3 (as well as in Figs. 3 to 7), the cap member 7 of each gas cock is secured to the body portion 4 by means of a clip device 12. The clip device 12 includes a pair of opposed jaw members 13, 14 formed of a strip of material such as spring steel. The clip member 12 is formed as an integral or unitary construction with the jaw members being resiliently deformable, towards and away from one another. Each jaw member 13,14 includes a pair of prong elements 15. The body portion of the gas cock includes a groove 16 formed in the circumference thereof for receiving an inner edge of the prong elements 15 of the lower jaw member 13. At the same time the prong elements of the upper jaw member 14 extend over a top surface of the cap member 7 to firmly secure the cap member over the end of the gas cock body portion 4. As the clip 12 is slid into position, the jaw members 13,14 are forced slightly apart thereby creating a bias to firmly hold the cap member in its correct location. It will be noted that the cap member 7 and body portion 4 also include registration means for their correct location relative to one another. In the present case the registration means includes a notch 17 on the body portion 4 and a corresponding projection (not shown) on the cap member.

In one of the side walls of the manifold tube 2 there is an aperture 18 in the form of a round hole. The inlet opening 5 of the gas cock body is aligned with this aperture 18, the alignment again being by registration means in the form of a notch 19 in the aperture and a corresponding projection (not shown) on the gas cock body portion 4. The end of the body portion surrounding the inlet opening 5 has a substantially flat surface for seating and sealing against the side wall of the manifold tube adjacent the aperture 18. The gas cock 3 is mounted on the manifold 2 in fluid communication therewith by means of a clamp device 20. The clamp device 20 includes a bracket member 21 formed from substantially rigid strip material such as strip steel. The bracket member includes a slot or recess 22 for receiving and substantially surrounding the body portion 4 of the gas cock and the body portion includes a groove 23 for receiving and engaging with an edge of the bracket member strip material in the recess 22. The bracket member 21 engages with the body portion 4 at the groove 23 and extends around the manifold 2. The clamping device 20 further includes an actuating element 24 in the form of a screw which extends through the hole 25 on one side of the bracket member 20 and screws into a corresponding aligned and threaded hole (not shown) on the other side of the bracket member. The screw 24 squeezes or pulls the bracket into clamped engagement with the gas cock and manifold to substantially rigidly secure the assembly together.

Figs. 4 to 8 of the drawings show variations on the assembly of Figs. 1 to 3 suitable for use in barbecues. With these forms of the invention the connection between the cap member 7 and body portion 4 of the gas cock is the same as for Figs. 1 to 3.

In these forms of the invention, however, the inlet 5 to the gas cock 3 is formed in a side of the body portion 4 and the generally cylindrical shaped body portion is flattened in the vicinity of the inlet opening so that the gas cock can properly seat against the side wall of the manifold 2. In addition, the outlet nozzle 11 extends

from the end of the body portion opposite that end at which the cap member 7 is attached. Thus, rather than seating on and extending upwardly from the manifold as in the example of the Figs. 1 to 3, the body portion 4 of the gas cock extends transversely across the manifold tube. The clamping device 20 in Figs. 4 to 8 is also somewhat different. The clamping device 20 again includes a bracket member 21 formed of strip steel material. This time, however, the bracket member 21 has a generally U-shaped configuration. The manifold tube 2 is received in the base of the U-shaped bracket member while the gas cock 3 extends through oval or obround openings 26 through the upright portions 27 of the U-shaped bracket. The edges of the openings 26 engage with the grooves 16,23 in the cylindrical body portion 4 of the gas cock and a screw element 24 bears against a side wall of, the manifold tube 2 to substantially rigidly clamp the assembly together.

Referring now to Figs. 9 to 12 of the drawings there is shown an alternative form of the invention in which the cap member 7 of the gas cock is secured to the body portion by fastening elements such as screws 28 which extend through the cap member 7 and into the body portion 4 in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the gas cock. Two of the screws 28 are provided on opposite sides of the cap member 7. The screws 28 are counter-sunk into the cap member and screw into internally threaded bores in the sides of the body portion 4 adjacent the end thereof covered by the cap member. The clamping arrangement in this form of the invention is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 4 to 8 of the drawings. Figs. 11 and 12 clearly show a region 29 on the side of the body portion 4 adjacent the inlet opening 5 which has been flattened to seat against the side wall of the manifold 2. A recess is provided around and adjacent the inlet opening 5 for receiving a nitrile rubber O-ring 30 for sealing around the aperture 18 in the manifold tube.

Finally, it is to be appreciated that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be made to the particular construction and arrangement of parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.